Vending-machine.



2 BHEETS-SHEET 1.

0'. F. GATES. VENDING MACHIHE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1912.

PatentedJune 16,1914:

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CHAR-LES F. GATES, OF SANDUSKY, .RIICHIGAN.

VENDING-MACHINE.

T 0 all 'wlww'z, it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES GATES, a citizen of the United States of America, re siding at Sandusky, in the county of Sanilac and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful -Improvements in V endingdvlachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. This invention relates to improvements in vending machines of the class in which a rotatable holder is driven by a spring cXerting a constant force to turn the holder, and the object of the invention is to provide suitable coin controlled mechanism for releasing and permitting the holder to turn but one space at a time.

A further object is to provide certain other new and useful features, all as hereinafter more fully described, the invention consisting in the matters hereinafter more particularly described and particularly pointed out in the claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention with one side of the casing removed; Fig. 2 is a tront elevation of the same with parts broken away to show the construction, and Fig. 3 is a section substantially on the line X X of Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawings 1 is a circular casing mounted upon a suitable base 2 and within this casing is a drum or holder 3 of a size to fit within the casing, and turn freely therein. Between the end walls 4 of the drum are radial partitions 5 forming a series of radial pockets which are open at the periphery of the drum and are adapted to contain the merchandise to be vcnded. An opening 6 is, provided in the front of the casing .through which the pockets successively discharge as the drum is turned.

Fitting within one end of the casing is a suitable supporting spider 7 having an open bearing 8 at the axis of the casing to receive and support one end of a shaft 9 upon which the drum turns. A coiled spring 10 encircles the hub of the drum and is secured at one end to the drum and at its opposite end to the spider so that when put under tension by turning the drum in one direction, it will exert. a. force tending to constantly turn the drum in the opposite direction, and to hold the drum from turning and to release the same and permit it to be turned by the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 17, 1912. Serial No. 704,021.

Patented Jiine 16, 1914.

spring a dis nce equal to the width of one ofthe pockets coin controlled mechanism is provided. This coin controlled mechanism consists of a coin chute 11 secured by bolts or screws 12'to the spider 7 and extending upward at one slde of the casing to an opening '13 therein. Projecting into one side of the chute near its upper end is a horse-shod magnet 14 adapted to attract metal slugs and prevent them from passing down the chute.

The lower end of the chute consists of two side supporting plates 15 bet-ween which an escapement lever 16 is pivoted at 17. Se cured to the end of the drum is an escapeinent wheel 18 having suitably formed teeth 19 adapted to be engaged by a hook 20 upon the lower end of the lever .16. The upper end of said lever is also formedwit-h a lug or dog 21 to engage between the teeth when the lever is rocked upon its pivot. The lever is normally held by a coiled spring 22 with its hooked end 20 in engagement with the teeth 19 to hold the drum from being turned by its spring 10. I

An operating lever 23 is pivoted at- 24 between the plates 15 with its inner edge substantially-in line with the outer edge of the chute andat a distance substantially equal to the width of the chute from the adjacent edge of the upper end of the lever 16. This operating lever is formed with an arm 25 at its upper end extending outward through a slot in the casing and provided with a grip portion adapted to be pressed by the opera-' tor to turn the lever on its pivot. A coiled spring 26 attached at one end to a projection on the lever 23 and at itsopposite end to the chute, normally holds thelever'turned with its operating arm retracted Within the slot.

The lower end of the operati lever is formed with a series of notches 2 adapted to be engaged by a dog 28 which is pivoted between the plates 15 adjacent to the lower end of the lever and is formed with an end or tail 29-projecting across the space between, the adjacent edges of the levers 23 and 16' which space forms a continuation of the coin chute. A stop pin 30 extends across between the plates 15 within the passage between the levers and adjacent to the upper end of the escapement lever when the same is in normal position.

When a coin is inserted in the coin chute through the opening 13, it passes downward and falls upon the tail 29 of the dog 28 which is rocked thereby upon its pivot into crating the escapement lever, the coin is I fully operated the lever 16 and dropped,

engagement with the lower end. of the lever 23. The coin is thus held by the dog in such a position that when the operator presses upon the arm 25 and turns the lower end of the lever inward, the coin is caught between said end and a projection 31 on the edge of the lever 16. A further turning of the operating lever will force the coin against the es capement lever and turn it upon its pivot, disengaging its hook 20 from one of the teeth and permitting the drum to turn. At the same time the projection 21 on the lever is brought into the path of the teeth and prevents the drum from turning more than one tooth or the width of one pocket. In opforced off from the end of the-dog and drops past the same as soon as pressure on the operating lever is relieved. The dog 28 engaging the notches 27 prevents the backward turning of the lever until the coin has thus preventing the escapement lever from being operated more than once by a single coin. When the coin has dropped from the dog it will fall out of engagement with the lever by gravity, its lever engaging endbeing heavier than its tail portion.

The pin 30 is so located that a coin supported by the dog lies with its upper edge just below the plane of the pin and thus when the operating lever is turned it forces the coin beneath the pin into engagement with the escapement lever and thus, if there should be other coins in the chute above the lower coin, but one coin will be discharged at a time, the coins above being supported by the pin and in turn dropping upon the dog when the operating lever is returned to normal position.

To indicate that the entire contentsof the drum has been discharged and to prevent the insertion of any more coins, a s1ide'32 is i mounted in suitable ways '33 on the upperl end of the coin chute opposite the opening 13. This slide is provided with a slot 34 just large enough topermit a coin of the de- 1 sired denomination to be passed through, i and when it is desired to operate themachine l with coins of another denomination it is only necessary to take out this slide and put another in its place having a slot corresponding to the size of the coin to be used. The slide is automatically operated when the last pocket is emptied, by a lever 35 pivoted at 36 to the spider 7 and engaging the slide at its outer end. The inner end 87 of the lever is adapted to be engaged by a lug 38 on the hub of the drum so that when the drum has made a complete revolution and discharged its entire contents, said lug will come into engagement with the lever and move the slide so that its slot 34 will be out of alinement with the opening 13 which will be closed by the slide.

By providing the spider 7 and mounting the coin controlled mechanism and chute closing slide thereon, the entire operating mechanism may be quickly and easily removed and the assembling of the machine is facilitated.

Obviously changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do not wish to limit myself to the particular form and arrangement shown.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is 2- In a vending machine, a vending mechanism having a constant tendency to move,

and a coin controlled escapement therefor comprising a pivoted escapement lever, a pivoted operating lever 1n proximlty to said escapement lever and providing a comway between the confronting edges of said levers, and a pivoted dog at the lower end of said operating lever and extending into the coinway to be impinged by a coin and shifted 1 into engagement with said operating lever, 1 whereby said operating lever is locked I against repeat-ed action until said dog has been released of a coin.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. GATES. Witnesses:

ANNA M. Donn, CHAS. W. STAUTFIGER. 

